Body pulled from Skaha Lake

PENTICTON – Penticton firefighters were called to Skaha Lake Sunday after receiving reports a man had disappeared in the water while paddle boarding.

Penticton Fire Chief Larry Watkinson says firefighters arrived at Sudbury Beach at around 1:50 p.m., Sunday, July 3, and went into the water, eventually locating a man believed to be in his mid thirties.

The department’s rescue boat was also launched.

The man was located approximately three metres below the water’s surface, within the swimming area just offshore.

Firefighters immediately began rescue procedures to try to revive the victim but were unsuccessful on scene. The victim was transported by B.C. Ambulance.

Watkinson says a rescue boat will eventually be permanently moored on Skaha Lake.

“It’s a really sad day, the guys did a heck of a job trying to revive the victim,” he says, “with a boat already on the lake, it will save us the time of having to launch a boat.”


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Steve Arstad

Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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